Grader car



March 29, 1927.

R. E. BRESSLER GRADER CAR Filed Sept. 10. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 29, 1927. 1,622,761

H. BRELSSLER GRZXDER CAR Filed Sept. v10. 1921 5 sheets sheet 2 R. E. BRESSLER GRADER CAR March 29,1927. 1,622,761

Filed Sept 10. 192] 5 Sheets-Sheets Mme}; 29, 19276 I R. a, BRESSLER GRADER CAR 10. i921 5 Sheets-Sheet '4 Filed Sept.

March 29, 1921. 1,622,761

R. E. BRESSLER GRADER CAR Filed Sept. 10. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Mar. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT LE BRESSLER, OF AURORA, ELLINOIS, .ASSIC-NOB TO WESTERN WHEELED SCRAPER COMPANY, OF AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORFORATION OF ILLINOIS.

GRADER CAR.

Application filed September It), 1921.

My invention relates to cars equipped with means for grading or spreading earth, and has for its object to provide a car with an improved plow, mounted at one or both ends thereof, capable of being used not only for spreading and levelling earth lying on the road bed, but also for distributing the earth laterally at the sides of the road bed. I accomplish this object as illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter described. WVhat I regard as new is set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawi1igs,-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one end portion of a car equipped with my improve ments;

Fig. 2 is a partial horizontal section on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail, being a partial vertical cross-section on line 4t of Fig. 8;

Fig. 5 is a front elevation, some parts being broken away;

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-section on line 66 of Figs. 1 and 3;

Fi 7 is a horizontal section on line 77 of Flg. 5;

.u 1g. 8 is a partial vertical cross-section on line 88 of Fig. 3; t

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of part of the compressed air cylinder showing the latch mechanism for locking the plow and the spreader wings at different heights;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the members of said latch; and

Fig. 11 is a similar view of the head with which said latch cooperates.

Referring to the drawings, 12 indicates the side members or sills of the frame of the car, and 13 indicates a pair of longitudinally-extending I-beams which form a part of thedraft rigging, and serve also as supports for other parts of the car. The side members 12 are connected at their ends by a cross-beam 14, and are braced by a channelbeam 15 which extends transversely of the car near the end thereof and preferably under the I-beams 13, as shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1. It will be understood that both ends of the car may if desired be alike in construction, and that my improvements may be applied either to one or to both ends thereof. The ends of the car are mounted upon trucks in the usual way, the wheels of one of the trucks being Serial No. 493,641.

shown at 16 in Fig. 1. 17 indicates one of the draw bars, which is mounted in a casting 18 secured to oppositely-disposed channelbars 19 which are arranged under the I- beams 13, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and preferably extend back to the channel beam 15 as shown in Fig. 1. 20 indicates a frame arranged under the cross-beam 14 and rigidly braced in position a short distance above the road bed. Preferably this frame coinprises a vertically-disposed transverse plate 21 secured to the channel-beams 19 and braced laterally by inclined angle-iron braces 22 at opposite sides thereof connecting it with the side members 12 of the car frame, as shown in Fig. 6. It is further braced by a channehbeam 28 which is connected with the channel-beams 19, between which its upper end extends, as shown in Fig. 6, and which extends forward and downward as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, its lower end being connected with the plate 21 by means of angle-irons 24 at opposite sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 7. By this construction the frame 20 is very firmly supported and is made capable of withstanding the strains to which it is subjected.

- 25 indicates the plow shares, two of which are provided, arranged after the manner of a cow-catcher at the end of a car. These shares are secured to the lower margins of spreader plates 26 which are arranged in the form of a V at the end of the car, presenting an appearance similar to that of .a snow plow except that said plates are cut away intermediately at the apex of the V, as shown at 27 in Fig. 1, to permit of the passage therethrough of the draft bar 17 and the parts to which it is connected. The opening 27 must be large enough to permit of the vertical adjustmentof the plow as a whole, as hereinafter described. The spreader plates 26 are suitably reenforced by diagonally-disposed channel-beams 28 extending across the rear surface thereof, as shown in Fig. 7 andin dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that they will withstand considerable pressure without buckling. They are also recnforced by angleirons 29 along their upper margins, shown in Fig. 1.

Extending rearwardly from the rear margins of the spreader plates 26, and preferably integral with the bracing members thcreof, are beams 30 which at their rear ends are provided with brackets 31 each havinc; a T-shaped head 32 which is adapted to travel in a correspondingl -shaped vertically-disposed slideway 33. These slideways, one of which is provided at each side of the car, are secured to angle-irons 3% attached to the sides of the car, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These devices serve to further brace the plow while permitting vertical adjustment thereof in the manner hereinafter described. They also perform the function of resisting the thrust against the side wings hereinafter described.

The front portion of the plow is directly braced without interfering with its vertical adjustment, by means of brace bars or links 35, 36, 37, best shown in Fig. 7. The link 35 is arranged in line with the longitudinal axis of the car and is pivotally connected atits forward end by a pin 38 with the apex of the plow, its rear end being connected by a pin 39 with a bracket 40 secured to the plate 21. The links 36, 37 are disposed at opposite sides of the link 35 and are perpendicular to the inclined surface of the plow with which they are respectively connected. These links are connected in a similar manner to the plow and to the plate 21'.

ll indicates a. cross-brace the ends of which are connected to the spreader plates forming the opposite inclined sides of the plow, and to this brace are connected hangers 42, 43, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected to arms a, 45, respectively, mounted on a rock-shaft which is journaled in suitable bearings 47 supported by the I-heams 13. These parts are best shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7. Obviously by rocking the shaft 46 the front portion of the plow may be raised or lowered, and in order to avoid cramping of the guides 32 in the slideways 33 when the plow is moved vertically, provision is made for directly raising or lowering the rear portion of the plow at the same time that the front portion is c0rrespondingly adjusted. This is accomplished by providing the rock-shaft 41-6 with a d pending arm 48 which is connected by a link 49' with a depending arm 50 carried by a second rock-shaft 51 mounted adjacent to the rear end of the plow, as best shown in Fig. 3. This roclcshaft is provided at its ends with arms 52 which are connected by links 53 with the rear end portions of the plow. Consequently, whenever the rocleshaft as is rocked the rock-shaft 51 is correspondingly rocked and all parts of the plow are similarly adjusted, thus maintaining the horizontal position of the side members of the plow.

For rocking the rock-shaft 46 I provide a compressed air cylinder 54: which is mounted in any suitable way on the car body, as by securing it on top of the I-beains 13. Said cylinder is provided with a piston rod 55- arrauge'd to reciprocate longitudinally of the car. This piston rod is provided with a. head 56 having a yoke 57 adapted to receive the upper end of an arm 58 mounted on the rock-shaft tti, as incliated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 and shown in full lines in Fig. 5. Thus Whenever the preton rod 55 is moved longitudinally it operates to rock the rock-shafts 46 and 51 and vertically adjust the plow. For locking the plow at different heights the head 56 is provided at opposite sides with lugs 59 which are adapted to be engaged by a swinging latch 60 having two pairs of teeth (31, 62. This latch is adapted to overlie the head 56 so that the lugs 59 are engaged either by the teeth (31 or the teeth 62. The latch (30,-therefore, operates to lock the piston rod in either of two positions, and, therefore, through the devices connecting said piston rod with the plow, the latter may be secured at either of two different heights. As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the latch 60 is pivoted at 63 adjacent to the head of the cylinder 54, and may be raised out of operative position by a cable 6 1 which runs to a point within convenient reach of the operator.

In order that the earth may be spread to a wider extent than can be done by using only the normal width of the plow, I provide the plow with a hinged spreader wing 65 at each side thereof, each of said wings being mounted at its forward end on a vertical hinge ('36 arranged so that whenthe wing is extended, or swung out from the side of the car, it will form an extension of the inclined spreader plate with which it is associated, as illustrated in Fig. 2, thereby increasing the effective width of the spreading devices to a considerable extent. These spreader wings are braced when in operative position and are moved toward or from the side of the car by means of swinging arms 67 which are carried by vertically-disposed shafts 63 mounted to rotate in suitable bearings in the brackets 31, as shown in Fig. 2. A crank (39 is provided at the upper end of each of the shafts 68 for rotating the same. The arms (57 are connected at their outer ends with the spreader wings 65 by means of slidebloclrs '(0 which are pivotally connected with the arms 67 and are adapted to slide in slideways 71 arranged longitudinally of the wings 65, as shown in said figure. "When not in use the wings 65 may be folded up against the sides of the car, in which case the slide-blocks 70 move to the forward end portions of the slideways 71 and serve to hold the wings closely against the car. Obviously when the plow is vertically adjusted the side wings move with it, and the arms 6'7 slide vertically along the shafts 68, which, shown in the drawings, are made square in cross-section so that said arms rotate with said shaft but are free to move longitudinally thereof.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a car, of a vertically-adjustable plow mounted opposite one end thereof, said plow comprising two diagonally-arranged plates, a side wing pivotally connected on a vertical axis with said plow at the rear end of one of said diagonal plates and adjustable to form an extension of such plate and bodily movable vertically therewith, and means mounted on the car for adjusting said plow vertically.

2. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and comprising two inclined spreader plates mounted opposite one end of the car, beams extending rearwardly from said plates respectively and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, and means connected with said spreader plates and with said beams for vertically adjusting the plow, said means comprising two rock-shafts connected together and respectively connected with said plates and with said beams.

3. vThe combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and comprising two inclined spreader plates mounted opposite one end of the car, beams extending rearwardly from said plates respectively and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, means slidingly connecting the inner end portions of the beams with the car, and means connected with said spreader plates and with said beams for vertically adjusting the plow, said means comprising two rock-shafts connected together and respectively connected with said plates and with said beams.

4. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, said plow comprising two inclined spreader plates, beams extending rearwardly from said plates respectively and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, means connected with the front and rear portions of the plow for Vertically adjusting the same, and a side wing pivotally connected on a vertical axis with said plow at one side thereof, said adjusting means comprising a front and a rear rockshaft connected together, an arm rigidly connected with each rock-shaft, and links connecting said arms with the said plates and beams respectively.

5. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, said plow comprising two inclined spreader plates, beams extending rearwardly from said plates respectively and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, means connected with the front and rear portions of the plow for vertically adjusting the same, and a side wing pivotally connected on a vertical axis with said plow at one side thereof and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, said adjusting means com prising a front and a rear rock-shaft con nected together, an arm rigidly connected with each rock-shaft, and links connecting said arms with the said plates and beams respectively. I

6. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, braces pivotally connected with the side portions of the plow and with the car, and means mounted on the car for adjusting the plow vertically.

7. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, braces pivotally connected with the side and central portions of the plow and with the car, and means mounted on the car for adjusting the plow vertically.

8. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and comprising two inclined spreader plates, two rearwardlyextending beams connected respectively with said plates and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, and power-operated means mounted on the car for vertically adjusting the plow, said power-operated means comprising two transverse rock-shafts connected together and respectively connected with said spreader plates and with said beams.

9. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof andcomprising two inclined spreader plates, two rearwardlyextending beams connected respectively with said plates and lying approximately parallel with the sides of the car, vertical means supported by the car and with which said beams have a sliding engagement, and power-operated means mounted on the car for verti cally adjusting the plow, said power-operated means comprising two transverse rockshafts connected together and respectively connected with said spreader plates and with said beams.

10. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof, a side wing pivotally connected with said plow at one side thereof and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, and braces slidably connected with said wing and pivotally connected with the plow for holding said side wing in operative position.

11. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof, a side wing pivotally connected with said plow at one side thereof and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, braces slidably connected with said wing, a vertically-disposed rock-shaft carried by the plow and connected with said braces, and a lever for rocking said shaft.

12. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, braces connecting the front portion of the low with the car, vertically sliding braces or the rear portions of the plow,

a side wing pivotally connected with the plow and adjustable angular-1y with relation thereto, and swinging braces connected with the rear portion of the plow and with the rear portion of said wing.

13. The combination with a car, of a plow mounted at one end thereof and adjustable vertically, braces connecting the front portion of the plow with the car, vertically sliding braces for the rear portions of the plow, a side Wing pivotally connected with the-plow and adjustable angularly with relation thereto and swinging braces connected with the rear portion of the plow and slidably connected with the rear portion of said Wing.

ROBERT E. BRESSLER. 

